Xejicka: I'm looking for good sensor signs. This chapter contains nudity and I really don't want to add the mature label to this. It's not like I go into detail anyways.

Disclaimer: Xejicka does own the Kingdom Hearts series, the Final Fantasy series or anything that interesting. she also doesn't own Amaterasu or any of the censor signs.

Xejicka: Let's see.. for censors signs, we have the black rectangle, the blur, the pixels, a moogle head, a flower, an eye patch, Jenova's frickin' head, a flower eye patch, John Tucker's thong, a fan with a red dot on it, the Disney logo, Vexen's shield, the Shinra logo, and Tetsuya Nomura's head.

Thalkxene: I'm going with the pretty flower.

Xejicka: When you guys review, tell me which one you used. I might get bored and draw it. Use it every time there's nudity. Either way, enjoy the ridiculous chapter. I apologize for the long wait.

Thalkxene: Xejicka's computer is messing up and she was very reluctant to type for fear of it crashing and she had not saved.

Xeijcka: If it makes you feel better, I'm currently writing chapter 29 as I type this.

Chapter 26 Bloody Awakening

Castle Oblivion

"Wake up. Wake up!" a woman's voice gently beckoned. The words were faint. The Riku replica was floating in a void, endless abyss, an ethereal darkness. He was dead, he died strongly. He was killed by the very person he was cloned from. Yet he was glad he was dead. His memories were corrupt, he couldn't trust any of them. He didn't have anyone but dear Namine and she seemed to have fallen for a person whose memories she also corrupted. He stayed down, waiting for eternity to pass, wondering where his fake heart or soul, if he had one, would go.

"Wake up and rise, young soul!" the voice beckoned again. The replica felt a cold, smooth surface on his bare back. His eyes burst open from the shock of this sudden change. "It's so good to see you're finally awake," a violet clad woman spoke as she stood over the clone. She had a smile that was almost war, he didn't trust it.

"I guess this is the place where fake hearts go," he spoke bitterly as he looked around, noting the familiar room.

"Of course not. Don't be so bitter, you're alive!" the woman said cheerfully. The replica noticed the Asian man shyly trying to distance himself away. Figures. The replica turned his glare to the woman.

"Why did you bring me back? I was better off dead. My life was hell and it only lasted a few hours! Now you bring me back to it, haven't I already suffered enough?!" the replica cried. The woman frowned.

"Maybe your first few hours were Hell, but I brought you back for an opportunity. Just answer me when I ask this: What do you desire?" the woman asked. The replica summoned Soul Eater and attempted to stab the woman's throat. Only she stepped out of the way and grabbed the boy by the back of his neck. "I just asked you a mere question. I never assaulted you, I never made any attempt at your life. What I'm doing right now isn't even self defense. Now tell me what your heart desires," the mage demanded in a stern and cold voice as the replica struggled to break out of the hold.

"Do you really want to know? Really, hat's in it for you?" he questioned as he slowly stopped struggling.

"I like you, otherwise I would have never brought you back. You maybe be useful to me and I might be able to make some of your desires come true," the woman said as she let go of the replica.

"Fine, I'll tell you if you really want to know. I want to be my own person. I want my own name and power. I want to prove I'm better than Riku. I want Namine. Does any of that satisfy you?" the clone shot off. The mage frowned and shook her head.

"I'm afraid all of that is not possible," the woman replied in a disappointed voice.

"I don't think what I want is much. Why can't you get it all?" the silver haired clone asked in an irritated voice.

"Yuo are not meant to see dear Namine again. Your paths were not destined to cross again, it was fated that way," the replica punched at the woman's face but he missed as she blocked it with her palm.

"She was the only one that cared!" he cried.

"She is already saved, your work for her is done. The is an opportunity for you to be a hero, to save someone. Do you want it?" the violet clad woman asked.

"Is it worth it?" the replica shot back.

"That is up to you to decide. You really don't have any other option because if you refuse, I'll just send you back to death," the woman spoke as she pointed to a door. "Destiny awaits you in there," The replica slowly walked to the door. Utter silence and he opened it.

Hollow Bastion

Reno sat up, stretched his arms and yawned. He had a restful sleep despite what happened during the night. "What a night," he yawned as he looked next to him. The bed was empty aside from him, Jessica was gone. He wondered where she went until the smell of something cooking entered his nostrils.

Jessica was down in the kitchen, frying eggs and toast together, making toad-in-a-holes. She was dressed in a white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled to her elbows. An ebony tube top with buttons on it was on her waist, emphasizing the hourglass figure she had with a set of suspenders. Her navy pants reached the floor as she tapped her feet with hidden black boots on.

Durus was frying sausages in a skillet next to the woman. He donned a black collared shirt with a white collared shirt worn over it like a jacket. He still wore his bloody cargo shorts, but he didn't care. The smell of the meal was delicious and Reno walked into the room. "Morning, Reno," Jessica greeted as she heard him walk in.

"Smells good, yo," Reno said as he looked at what the woman was frying.

"I wish I could say the same for you," Durus bitterly added . Reno took a wiff from his own armpit and scowled.

"Fine, I'll take a shower," he said as he entered the room.

"Good, because breakfast won't be ready for a while," Jessica stated.

Upstairs, Kathleen and Amaterasu were already changing. "How was your sleep last night?" Kathleen asked as she put on her vest.

"Sephiroth attacked us while you slept. How did you not wake through it?" Amaterasu questioned as she slid on the long, white, short-sleeved jacket.

"I don't know. I had a dream with him in it. He wouldn't take off his shirt for me," Kathleen exclaimed, Amaterasu smirked until she looked to the door to the balcony. "You hate how it's raining?"the pale girl asked.

"No, I actually like the rain. That door was destroyed last night and I do not remember anyone fixing it," Amaterasu commented, wide eyed.

On the roof, several Vexen clones were huffing and puffing as they lie exhausted. Vicis was standing, smiling as he clapped his hands. "Good job, men. You repaired that door so well in such a short time," he congratulated.

"Don't make us do that again," one of the clones wheezed.

"We did our end of the deal, now you owe us," another clone added.

"I'll let you go snowboarding later. Besides, we still have yet to find a decent cabin," Father Time said as he picked up several tools.

"This better be worth it," one of the Vexen clones groaned. One of the many clones lost his balance and ended up rolling off the roof. Down in the kitchen, Jessica was startled by a loud thud.

"What the hell was that?" the woman asked.

"Probably just an idiot," Durus replied casually as he continued to fry the sausage. Upstairs, Reno was taking a nice hot shower. Outside by the window, Fate sat patiently with a camera, waiting for a certain opportunity to arise.

The Riku replica walked through the lab. He shivered for the bitter cold. He searched among the tables. "Can't expect any promises to be kept," he commented bitterly as he scanned all of the tables. A small, red ball caught his aqua eyes. The replica picked it up and examined it closely.

It was warm, a small pulse emitted from it, like a heartbeat. An open notebook rested open next to where the pompom was set.

'I have extracted the DNA from the moogle that calls herself Ginger. Over a period of several tests using the DNA did this ball form. My final goal for this is to test what this ball is,' The note read. The replica shook his head and carried the ball with him. He had no interest in experiments, but he could use this ball for things later.

The sound of someone whimpering weakly caught the silver hared boy's attention. "Hey!" he called out. No one answered but the whimpering continued. He turned his head in several directions, hoping to hear the source of the sounds. He walked a few feet to his right and the quiet whimpers grew slightly louder.

The replica listened carefully and he turned around to find a small nook of a hallway nearby. He ran into it without hesitation as he drew Soul Eater. This area was well hidden away, he would have over looked it if not for the minor cries. He walked down this hallway to find something or someone at the end.

He got closer and closer to find an operation table at the end. A feeling of nostalgia came over him as he remembered how he was born. This table stood at a forty-five degree angle, it reminded him of how he first woke. Yet there was someone occupying this table, the source of the whimpers.

The replica stopped in front of the table. A girl with long hair was on it, shivering. Her eyes were blindfolded by a white cloth. She was held down by three large white straps. If that wasn't enough, there were shackles around her neck, wrists and feet, all tightly bound. Vexen clearly did not want the girl to escape indicated with the large claw and bite marks surrounding the table.

The clone dared to get closer to this girl. He dismissed his weapon and peeled the blindfold off of the experiment. Her eyes were wide open, the color kept rapidly changing from yellow to hazel. Her breathing patterns were irregular, almost pleading. The Riku replica had no idea what to do, just something out of impulse.

"Snap out of it!" he shouted as he shook her shoulders.

The girl's eye colored changed to hazel and stayed there and her breathing became normal. Her body went limp as she looked down. The replica lifted her chin so he could get a good look at her. "Who or what are you?" he asked with a hint of demand in his voice. The girl looked at him with sad eyes.

"You're here to kill me while I'm weak like you did Zexion, then you'll absorb what power I have left, aren't you? Go on ahead and do it, take it and let me die. I'm not worth this life. Not to anyone or anything. Just get it over with and go," she said weakly as she turned her head. She was afraid of this boy, why shouldn't she be? The replica gave her a perplexed look.

"I'm not here to kill you. I was just sent here to save someone according to a hag in purple. Do you know who she was talking about?" the silver haired boy replied as he left a hand on her shoulder.

"I wouldn't know. I don't know anyone that wears purple all of the time. That aside, just go if you have nothing to do here," the girl ordered bitterly. The replica glared at her as he realized something.

'That woman has got to be kidding me. This is who I have to save? What's the point? She's almost suicidal! Well, maybe at the same level I was, but that's not the point. I don't need another me around.' The replica thought to himself as he summoned Soul Eater. "This won't take long," he spoke as he cut at the berserker.

She flinched but didn't feel pain. The shackles fell to the floor with a clatter as the straps fell away. The girl looked up at the replica as he dismissed his weapon. The berserker lunged forward and almost tackled the clone to the ground. He barely remained standing as he was having all of the air squeezed out of his lungs.

"W-what are you doing?! Let go!" he demanded. The girl didn't loosen.

"You didn't kill me. That and you're warm," the brunette commented She let go and straightened up only to realize something. "Holy crap, you are short!" she pointed out as she compared their heights using her hand. The replica glared at her.

"Thanks," he said sarcastically as he walked away.

"Wait, I want to check something before we go," the girl said as she halted the boy by grabbing his arm.

"We?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. It's just the two of us. Why don't we stick together?" the girl suggested.

"Why should I be with you?" I'm better off alone," the replica shot off bitterly as he walked away. The girl frowned.

"Tell that to who killed you," she corrected. The replica stopped.

"How do you know I was killed?" he asked.

"I just do. I can't do much on my own. That's why I think we should stick together," the girl suggested.

"What's in it for me?" he questioned with only mild interest.

"I can make you better than Riku," she replied with assurance.

Hollow Bastion

Reno walked out of the bathroom. Steam flowed out of the doorway as he loosely secured his towel around his waist. Kathleen walked out of her bedroom. She was blinded by the steam. She accidentally bumped into the turk. His towel fell off.

The steam disappeared completely. Kathleen looked upon the magnificence of the nude turk with the sound of an immaculate angel's chorus singing in the background. "It's beautiful." she uttered with wide eyes and a fascinated voice.

CRACK!

The sound of a gunshot went off as blood exploded from the girl's nose. She fell onto the floor, soaking in a pool of blood, her blood. She couldn't see, her vision was gone if only temporarily.

Durus ran up the stairs, worried about the sound of the gunshot. He reached the second level and stopped as he saw Reno at the end of the short hallway. "Yo," the turk waved casually.

"Holy shit, my nightmare is coming to life!" the replica shrieked in terror. He tried to back away slowly...

CRACK!

The sound of a gunshot went off as blood exploded from Durus' nose and all over Kathleen. The force hit him so hard that he fell back and rolled down the steps. He screamed as he held his eyes.

Jessica jumped over Durus as she ran up the steps. She ran up to Kathleen and looked at Reno, only to scowl. "Dammit, Reno, put on a towel!" she yelled at the turk.

He looked own. "Oh shit!" he reached down for the towel, not even aware that I had fallen off.

"Paparazzi!" Fate shouted as she jumped in with a camera. Several flashes of light and she was gone. Reno just gaped at where Fate once was, then at Jessica.

"Why didn't you-" Reno attempted to ask with a confused look on his face but he was interrupted.

"Silver specs. Aren't they amazing? They're supposed to prevent blind. They're also stylish," Jessica said as she took off the spectacles and looked at them. Durus' moans of pain grew loud. "I'll help him," the woman said as she rushed downstairs. "You're not bad," she added as she disappeared.

"I want to wear a blindfold now!" the replica screamed in pain.

Amaterasu ran out of her room and up to Kathleen. "Are you okay?" she worried.

"It was the most magnificent thing I've ever seen, it was too good for human eyes," the boxer replied in a stunned voice.

Castle Oblivion

"Can we go now? I'm freezing!" the Riku replica complained as he shivered.

"You do know you're naked, right?" the brunette commented as she was shuffling through piles of paper. The replica looked down and gasped. He really was nude, no wonder he was cold.

"Then can we please find something for me to wear?" the silver haired clone asked. The berserker pulled out several notebooks from a lab table.

"Yeah," the girl said as she put the notebooks under her arm. "I know where to get you clothes, just follow me," she said as she made her way out of the lab. Both specimens walked out of the lab rather quickly for it was cold.

"What do you go by, buddy?" the girl asked.

"Why would you want to know?" the replica asked back.

"So I can have something to call you by when I need you. I know you went by Riku for a while. Do you want to be called by that?" the girl asked as they continued trekking out of the lab.

'I was called a fake if not by Riku. I hate those names," the replica replied in an almost angsty voice.

"Maybe if we read a little, we could find you a name. That's why I brought these notebooks. I at least wanted to know what Vexen was going to do to me. For now, I'll call you Buddy, is that alright?" the girl asked with her suggestion.

"It's better than nothing. What do I call you?" the replica asked. The pair was now out of the lab where it was armer, but still frigid. The girl stopped when he did ask her name.

"I don't know anymore. I was actually planning on going by something different. What would like to call me?" the brunette asked. She looked at her right wrist and hand. The prophecy and the tattoo of Vexen's shield. Two things that indicated irrevocable change. No longer who she was anymore in aspects. The replica looked at his left wrist at the same tattoo that was always hidden by a wristband or his dark suit.

"How about Kitty?" the silver haired clone suggested.

"Kitty?! Why that name?" the berserker gasped.

"Your tail reminds me of one," the replica bluntly pointed out.

"It's supposed to be wolf. Stupid tail. You have any better name suggestions?" the girl corrected.

"Not really," the replica sighed. "Where are the extra clothes?" he beckoned.

"In here," the girl opened a door in the hallway to reveal a laundry room. "For now, just call me Luna because it's one of my favorite names. It's not what I was born with, but it will do for now," the girl now dubbed Luna said as she rummaged through a pile of clothes.

"It's all we have. I can fix it to where it doesn't resemble a cloak," Luna said as she pulled out a cloak. "Can you cut this?" Buddy did so by summoning Soul Eater and used it to cut the fabric. Darkness swirled around his arms and his sleeves formed on them, nothing more. Luna stretched out a cloak sleeve and held it up.

"Right here," she said and her friend sliced it, making it shorter. They did the same with the other sleeve. Then Luna lifted the cloak upside down. "Just cut across, Buddy," she ordered and Buddy did as told.

"Are we done yet? If you haven't noticed, I'm not wearing any pants," the replica bitterly pointed out. Luna gasped in surprise.

"Crap, I forgot!" she said as she quickly rummaged through the laundry basket.. She pulled out a set of boxers and threw them at the silver haired clone. They landed on his head and he furiously ripped them off.

"These look used," he pointed out bitterly.

"Deal with it in therapy. It's all there is. A guy should always wear underwear with pants because it's gross if he doesn't. Besides, I know I'll be washing them," Luna replied with a hint of annoyance in her voice as she pulled out a set of pants and a shrunken cloak.

Buddy put on the boxers, terrified of who wore them last. (A/N: It was Zexion, okay?) Luna threw the pants at the clone, he caught them and slid them on in a flash, then she put on the shrunken cloak.

"I'm leaving," Buddy said as he headed to the door.

"Don't go. There are still things we need to do," Luna begged as she grabbed the replica's wrist.

"I didn't say the process would be quick. Please be patient. I want to get out of this Hell hole too. Getting some food wouldn't be bad idea. I know there's some leftovers in the kitchen," the berserker suggested. Buddy looked at her.

"Fine, but I can kill things so I don't think we need to pack much," he admitted.

"I can too, buddy. At least I think I can," Luna said, very unsure. The replica shook his head. So the pair left for the kitchen.

Xejicka: My computer shut off at least five times as I typed this chapter.

Thalkxene: You don't have to openly complain about it.

Xejicka: With the way things are going, I have no idea when the next chapter will be typed. It's written.

Thalkxene: Xejicka wrote a one shot that she wants to post up. It's another KH one. But it's like a sequel too.

Xejicka: It goes against Squiffie. Either way, I hope you guys read it if I post it. You know what to do.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.